Southbound Teal

By Jon Draper, AH Assistant Editor

Even though you know what you are about to see as you open the freezer, the sight of your last delicious duck making its final flight from its frozen tomb to your countertop is bittersweet. The little bird will dance in your cast-iron skillet soon enough, but it still doesn't feel right. The freezer that was once dominated by the coveted protein is now ceding space to frozen peas and flavorless chicken. It's a sad sight, but one you mean to right, and soon. Summer is over, your true calling is about to begin again. Your last meal is delicious.

Shotguns get the last of the Hoppe's 9. Gear is packed and then packed again leaving nothing to chance. The night before is restless, you spend it tossing and turning like a kid on Christmas Eve regardless of the fact that you know what gifts await you in the morning. You've been waiting for this day for the last six months, when it was still cold outside. Now it's hot, and you're in luck because it's September, the start of teal season.

Your mind races with thoughts of what this early season will indicate for the remainder of the year. Will the ducks show? What about numbers? You know the immediate answer to most of these questions already due to your diligent Internet scouting. You've checked the breeding reports. The reassuring phone calls to friends up North tell you what you want to hear—the birds are on the move.

You trek to the blind on autopilot. You could've made it blindfolded, and would have if the instance had called for it. Nothing will keep you from today. Your hunting partner knew it too and didn't hesitate to jump from the truck and disappear into the marsh. You allowed him this freedom, a gift for the opener. As you step up into the blind he gives you a look as if to say, "Where have you been? Don't you know what day it is?"… You know.

You planned to put out a small but effective spread, its shape determined days ago. Each deke has a home and must be placed precisely. That all goes out the window as you hear the first whistle of wings overhead. No time for precision, they must go out now!

Your eyes focus on two spots—the sky and your watch—waiting for the moment when the two align beneath the fading stars and creeping sunlight. Shadows zoom by overhead like missiles, splashes sound off deep in the spread. You look down … five more minutes.

Guns are loaded with the least-rusted of last year's 3-inch mags. You adjust the lanyard around your neck. Taking one last sip of coffee, you look to your watch and then to your partner as a crooked smile engulfs your face. It's shooting time.

How to Think Like a Rabbit

by J. Scott Olmsted,

Editor in Chief

Rabbit fur provides poor insulating qualities.

So think about it: Where would you escape the cold if all you had was a light jacket? Check briar patches and fruit brambles that offer shelter from the wind while remaining open to the warm rays of the January sun.

When hunting thick cover look for their eyes,

not their brown fur, to spot rabbits. A rabbit's shiny, round, dark eyes stand out against the monochromatic gray tones of the places it calls home like a dime on a cow pie.

Anyone who's hunted them knows rabbits are nervous critters, likely to bolt before they need to in the face of danger. When you enter a briar patch walk slowly, then stop, look and listen for about a minute. Then repeat. Your movement will likely flush a bunny from its hide. If not, the silent treatment should convince the critter it's been spotted and it'll make a run for it.

Contrary to popular belief,

rabbits don't exactly run in circles when chased by dogs. They do, however, tend to run within their range. If your beagle jumps a rabbit stand and wait—the dog will chase the rabbit back within shooting range.

Use an improved cylinder choke and No. 6 or 7 1/2 loads

to provide a wide, sufficiently heavy pattern without excessively damaging meat when hunting alone. Beagles push rabbits farther afield; switch to a modified or even a full choke and No. 4 or 6 loads when hunting with them.

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Check out your favorite rodeo star and the latest Ram trucks at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Dec. 2-11. Ram has been a proud sponsor of NFR for 30 years and we expect this year to be another exciting finals competition.

Ram continues "Letters for Lyrics"and its quest to send 1 million letters to soldiers. You can now write your letter electronically at www.ramtrucks.com/lettersforlyrics, and in return you can receive a free CD, "Breaking Southern Ground." This exclusive compilation, not sold in stores, features Southern Ground Artists Zac Brown Band, Sonia Leigh, Nic Cowan and Levi.

Like the fossilized skeletons of its ancestors displayed in the Smithsonian, a 12-foot alligator can be scary even when it's dead—something that Shooting Illustrated's Adam Heggenstaller learned in person during a gator hunt in Florida. Read More »

The 2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn sets a new standard for luxury trucks. From high-end exterior treatments to rich... Read More »

500

Number (in pounds) of an average adult male

5

Number (in millions) of alligators across the southeastern United States, 3 million of which live in Florida and Louisiana

275

Number of documented attacks on humans in Florida since 1948, 17 of which resulted in death

3

Number of states dubbing the alligator the state reptile (Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi)

19

Length (in feet) of the largest reported alligator (killed by E. A. McIlhenny of Tabasco pepper-sauce fame on Marsh Island, La., in 1890)

74-84

Number of teeth in an average alligator's mouth

fast fact

The cackling goose, a smaller-bodied goose prominent in Canada and Alaska, is a tundra-breeder with considerably more black plumage than the Canada. At one time, the cackling goose was considered the smallest subspecies of the Canada, but is now recognized as a separate species.